osTicket is a customer support ticketing system that consolidates requests received by email, telephone, and web forms into a central interface. It provides an organized way for teams to respond to enquiries, coordinate support activities, and maintain records of previous correspondence.
The application is suitable for organizations that need a dedicated help desk without the complexity of a larger service management platform. Each request becomes a ticket that can be assigned to an agent or department, monitored as work progresses, and archived once resolved.
Customers can also interact with their requests through a dedicated portal, while administrators can configure the system to reflect different support departments and categories of enquiry.
This is free and open source software.
Key Features
- Accepts support requests through email, web forms, and tickets created by staff.
- Configurable help topics direct enquiries to appropriate departments or support teams.
- Custom forms, fields, and lists collect information relevant to different types of requests.
- Ticket filters automate routing, assignment, and predefined actions.
- Assign and transfer tickets between agents and departments.
- Configurable priorities help staff identify urgent requests.
- Service level agreement plans establish response and resolution expectations.
- Overdue alerts and escalation notices highlight requests requiring attention.
- Customer portal allows users to view their tickets and correspondence.
- Knowledge base provides self-service answers to frequently asked questions.
- Internal notes support collaboration without exposing staff discussions to customers.
- Canned responses and customizable email templates speed up routine replies.
- Agent collision avoidance helps prevent simultaneous conflicting responses.
- Custom ticket queues and saved searches provide focused views of outstanding work.
- Related tasks and thread actions allow agents to create follow-up work from existing conversations.
- Role-based permissions control which help desk functions staff can access.
- Dashboard reporting provides an overview of help desk activity.
Website: osticket.com
Support:
Developer: osTicket team
License: GNU General Public License v2.0

osTicket is written in PHP. Learn PHP with our recommended free books and free tutorials.
Related Software
| Customer Service Trouble Ticketing Software | |
|---|---|
| Zammad | Web based helpdesk/customer support system with bags of features |
| Request Tracker | Mature enterprise-grade issue tracking system |
| osTicket | Widely-used lightweight support ticket system |
| Roundup | Simple to use and install issue tracking system |
| Libredesk | Self-hosted omnichannel customer support desk |
| FreeScout | Self-hosted help desk and shared mailbox application |
| Frappe Helpdesk | Customer service and ticket management application |
| Znuny | Fork of OTRS |
| OpenSupports | Simple ticketing system |
Read our verdict in the software roundup.
| Issue Tracking Systems | |
|---|---|
| OpenProject | Collaborative project management with planning and tracking |
| Zammad | Web based open source helpdesk/customer support system |
| Plane | Modern project management for issues, cycles, and roadmaps |
| Request Tracker | Mature enterprise-grade issue tracking system |
| MantisBT | Issue tracker implemented in PHP and using MySQL as a database |
| osTicket | Customer support ticket system |
| Fossil | Distributed version control system, bug tracking system and wiki server |
| Bugzilla | Bug Tracking System available through a web interface |
| Roundup | Simple-to-use and install issue-tracking system |
| Trac | Issue tracker implemented in PHP and using MySQL as a database |
| Redmine | Flexible project management web application |
| Flyspray | Simple, web-based bug tracking system written in PHP |
| Znuny | Fork of OTRS |
| Eventum | User friendly and flexible issue tracking system |
| FlowInquiry | Manage tickets, workflows and SLA tracking |
| Pachno | Friendly issue tracking |
| OpenSupports | Simple ticketing system |
| Phorge | Ccmmunity-maintained fork of Phabricator |
| Qisutu | Straightforward ticket management for teams and support workflows |
Read our verdict in the software roundup.
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